Madness Takes Control
by sweetkiwi604
Summary: After graduation Carol and Daryl plan to take a summer trip to celebrate but everything that can go wrong does. Caryl.
1. Chapter 1

**Quick note to preface this. I am probably one of the biggest fans of Supernatural and while thinking of new Caryl stories to write this idea came to me. If you watch the show you'll probably recognize which episodes I borrowed from but I assure you this isn't a crossover. There will be no Winchesters or hunters of any kind just Daryl and Carol dealing with the supernatural uglies.**

 **Would love to know what you think!**

Madness Takes Control

Chapter 1

They didn't really fall into one of the labels the town was so keen on giving. Daryl wasn't athletic enough in the eyes of the jocks and was too sweet to fit in with the rebels. Carol, although loving to read, wasn't a bookworm and she'd rather stab her eyes out than be as fake as some of those cheerleaders. The only thing the town did label them as was together.

Graduation had just passed and with Carol starting college in the fall and Daryl switching to full time at the garage in just a few short weeks they planned a vacation just the two of them. Daryl could barely keep up with her words as she rambled about all the plans she made. She had her bags packed, and their route mapped out, and extra cash stuck in her sock for emergencies though she doubted there would be any. Her family went out to dinner to celebrate her completing high school with honors while Daryl was under the strict instructions to pick her up promptly at eight so they could start their trip.

The most celebration he had was sharing a beer with his dad and brother. That was fine with him though. He didn't need some big show about finishing high school he was just happy to be done with it and be able to spend his days at the garage instead of failing to pay attention to whatever the teacher was babbling about. Carol was over the moon when she got her acceptance letter from the Dean of Admissions but a part of him wondered if she was staying in state because of him.

Merle had shoved a box of condoms in his bag before he left and though he glared it would be the first time him and Carol would be alone for an extended period of time. This wasn't going to be a couple of hours after school before her parents got home or even just a weekend. This was supposed to be a three week adventure across the country. No parents, no curfews, no rules just total freedom. When Carol had first mentioned it he hadn't really put too much thought into it. He figured the first hint of this actually happening and her parents would refuse but when they handed Carol a new camera instead Daryl was stunned into silence.

Stopping by the local gas station, he made sure to fill the tank, grab a pack of cigarettes, and some drinks before he went and picked Carol up. It was only seven thirty but there was no way in hell he was going to be late. He had quickly glanced at the map she had showed him the other day of where she wanted to go but wasn't sure where their first stop of the night would be. As long as they got out of Georgia that would be fine with him.

Daryl waited in the parking lot of the restaurant not wanting to impose on their family dinner. He couldn't be too selfish, he was going to have her all to himself for three weeks, though he was anxious to leave. There was still that little nugget of doubt stuck in the back of his mind that until they were actually in the truck and heading out of town that something was going to come up and they wouldn't go. The bell above the restaurant door chimed and he turned to see Carol exiting with her parents. Her hair was pinned back with a simple silver clip, her dress flowing with every step she took as she held onto her dad's arm as they walked to the car.

She grabbed her pillow out of the backseat while her father got her suitcase out of the trunk, mumbling about that it was three weeks and not three years. Daryl met him halfway, taking the suitcase from him and setting it in the bed of his truck with his own. Carol hugged her mother goodbye as her father shook Daryl's hand, pulling him in close so their words wouldn't be overheard. "She's in your hands now, Daryl. I expect her to come back in one piece without even a single hair out of place. You hear?"

"Yes, sir," Daryl nodded, offering his arm out to Carol to help her walk across the uneven parking lot in her high heels.

It wasn't until they pulled out of the town that excitement started to pump through his veins. Carol rested her bare feet on the dashboard, the wind from the open window blowing her hair around the cab now that she had taken the clip out of it. There was an easy smile on her face as she hummed along with the music but Daryl couldn't keep his eyes off her legs. He knew he should be watching the road but her dress had ridden up and with the light from the moon he almost wanted to reach out and run his hand over them. Reluctantly dragging his gaze back to the road, he lit a cigarette and chuckled to himself. She was going to kill him before their trip even started.

 **X-X-X**

Two days later Daryl was sure that was exactly her plan. They had stopped at a motel to spend the night and catch a few hours of shuteye. Carol had gone into the bathroom to take a shower as he lounged on the bed, resting his eyes yet still awake. He had heard the bathroom door open and he lazily glanced in her direction only to stare as she came out wearing what couldn't even be considered shorts and a matching tank top. She sat next to him on the bed as she started putting lotion on her legs and casually telling him about where she wanted to go the next day. Truth be told, he wouldn't have been able to recall one word that came out of her mouth. He nodded at what he hoped was the appropriate times and before he knew it, it was morning though he didn't sleep all that well with his mind racing. They grabbed breakfast to go and hit the interstate.

The drive alone was worth it for Daryl. He didn't care if they stopped anywhere special. He had Carol sitting next to him, the open road, and the music blaring. He wasn't sure there was anything better. Carol was laid out in the cab, her back resting against the door and her feet in Daryl's lap as she studied the map to make sure they didn't miss their next exit. He didn't think she was doing it on purpose but as she moved her feet along with the music she was teasing him through his jeans. If they weren't going seventy miles an hour down the interstate he might have enjoyed it more but as traffic built up he needed to pay attention and tickled the bottom of her foot to get her to stop.

The screech she let out was deafening and he caught her legs just in time before she had kicked him in the family jewels. Carol's reflexes weren't as quick however and the map flew out the open window. He thought for a second she was going to be upset but laughter erupted from her small frame as she sat up and hit him in the chest.

"Remember what exit it was?" Daryl asked, trying to keep the smirk off his face but it was no use.

Carol's eyes were still dancing with amusement as she curled up next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. "Not a clue. Drive until the road ends and then turn right."

 **X-X-X**

That sounded like a great plan until they ended up in some crap town in Indiana. Daryl had only intended to fill up and move on but the townspeople almost made it seem like they didn't want them to leave. All were too friendly, too willing to lend a helping hand, and no one was that generous. While no one had actually been anything but kind, Daryl was anxious to get back in the truck and leave as soon as possible. It was a little too Pleasantville for his liking and he didn't care if he had to drive through the night, the more miles between them and this place the better. The man at the gas station had insisted on checking the truck, claiming he saw some fluid dripping, but Daryl refused. Any normal person would have accepted it and moved on but this man was relentless to the point it started worried Carol.

"I'd hate to be driving and have something happen especially since we don't really have a clue as to where we are."

A scowl spread across Daryl's face as the man eyed his truck. "I'll take a look at it before we go." The statement was as clear as he could make it. He and he alone, would be the only one to touch his truck.

The man gave a curt nod, clearly annoyed with Daryl's resistance. "You kids might want to grab a bite to eat at Scotty's before you head out. Nothing around for miles and he has the best pie in the county. Tell him I sent you over and he'll make sure you get a nice big piece."

"Thank you, mister…" Carol trailed off hoping to pick up his name.

"You can call me Harley."

The smile on Harley's face was anything but friendly and Carol instinctively took a step closer to Daryl. He led her down the sidewalk with his hand on her lower back as they headed in the direction of Scotty's Café. Besides Harley being a little pushy Carol thought it was a quaint town. It was something plucked right from a book and put in the middle of nowhere. Every town they had gone through before they reached this one had been run down as if no one had lived there in decades. This place though? This was flourishing. Beautiful woven baskets hung from each street lamp over flowing with flowers, the grass pristinely cut as if it were a luscious green carpet, and not a single crack in the sidewalk.

Stepping into Scotty's Café they took a table close to the door, Daryl wanting an easy out just in case. Scotty was just as friendly as everyone else seemed to be but didn't make the hairs on the back of Carol's neck stand up. The food wasn't anything to complain about but Harley was right about one thing; it really was the best apple pie she'd ever tasted. In fact, Scotty tried to give them seconds on the house but Carol wasn't sure she could fit even one more crumb in her she was so full. Daryl pulled out his wallet to pay but Scotty refused saying it was on the house.

Daryl still left a few bills on the table and though Carol wanted to look around in the little shops for a bit it was the first time Daryl hadn't gone along with what she wanted to do. Burkitsville, Indiana was one place Daryl would be happy to never pass through again. Carol had gotten directions from Harley on how to get back to the highway and they were off. The houses quickly thinned out and Daryl squinted in the dark to try and read the paper. As long as they found the highway and he had Carol curled up next to him, nothing could go wrong now. That was until the truck sputtered a few times before coming to a halt dead in the middle of the road. The abrupt movement woke Carol and she blinked trying to figure out why they had stopped. It was pitch black and except for a few stars in the sky she could only see what the headlights illuminated.

"What's going on? Did we hit something?" She rubbed at her eyes, making her appear years younger than she was as she tried to wake herself up.

The growl rumbled through Daryl's chest as his hand came down on the steering wheel, obscenities spilling from his mouth that Carol had never heard before. He slammed the door behind him as he got out and popped the hood to see if he could fix it. With the flashlight between his teeth he checked for anything that stuck out as being tampered with and he had half a mind to walk back into town and beat the man at the gas station.

"Not something you can fix, is it?" Carol stepped around the front of the truck. Daryl didn't have to answer as the look on his face screamed it all. She checked her cell phone but of course there wasn't any service in the middle of nowhere. "Guess we're stuck here until someone drives pass."

Daryl snorted, "Haven't seen another car on the road since we left that fucking town."

He slammed the hood of the truck and Carol took the flashlight from him as they tried to figure out what their best option would be. Lord only knew how far they were to the next town and it was way too far to walk back to Burkitsville, no matter how much Daryl wanted to just so he could confront that asshole. The light reflected off a ladder in an orchard they had stalled out by. If she squinted she was just about sure there was a cottage on the other side. It wasn't the best of options but it was the only one they had at the moment.

Leaves crunched under their feet and Daryl had a tight grip on her hand as they weaved through the apple orchard. His senses were on high alert, he could feel it in his bones that something wasn't right, but he wasn't sure what it was exactly. His fingers ghosted over his knife, ready to attack at a moment's notice if need be. He was ready to have Carol hop on his back so they could move through more quietly than they had been but then he felt her stop next to him.

"Think that's what he actually looked like?" Carol whispered, her head tilted to the side as she stared at the scarecrow secured up on a wooden cross. He was wearing what looked like to be a fisherman's jacket and leather hat, with harsh stitches across his face, a tattoo on his arm, and a scythe dangling from one of his hands.

It made sense that it was so creepy, she assumed that something cheerful wouldn't have kept the birds away from the apples but with only the light of the stars she felt like she was in a horror movie that had just started. Daryl hadn't a clue what she was talking about and she rolled her eyes, "Apparently, in 1862 a preacher named Jacob Karnes was arrested for murder. He was so angry over the red light district in town that one night he killed thirteen prostitutes. Some of the deceased were found in their beds, sheets soaked with blood, others suspended upside down from the limbs of trees as a warning against sins of the flesh. The preacher lost his hand in an accident and had it replaced with a silver hook that was used as the murder weapon."

Daryl decided at that moment that Carol definitely read too much and offered her only a tight smile. "C'mon it's already late. We should get to the cottage."

Carol pulled her phone out of her pocket and even though she had no service she snapped a picture, excited to do more research about Jacob Karnes when they got back home. They started walking again and the excitement was almost too much for her. "I doubt it's _the_ Hook Man but how awesome would that be? I mean he's a legend."

"Keep your voice down," Daryl hushed her and curiosity as to why she would have to be spread across her face. His gaze never left their surroundings, letting out a breath. "Don't want to draw attention to ourselves before we know what we are walking in to."

He went to take another step but felt the tug of her hand in his own. It was as if she was frozen in her spot. Her hand tightened around his, her fingernails biting into his skin. "Daryl, where's the scarecrow?"

"What the hell you talking about?"

With a trembling hand she pointed to the now bare cross, the ropes blowing in the wind that once secured the scarecrow to the wood. "It's gone."


	2. Chapter 2

**So happy everyone is enjoying so far. I'm going to try and fit as many episodes as I can in here without it getting too crazy though they will be out of order from Supernatural so hopefully it makes sense. Any questions let me know!**

 **And a quick shout out to Haitus80 and Halohunter89 without who I probably would have never posted this and to ispiltthemilk for being my beta :)**

Chapter 2

"The fuck?" Daryl mumbled as he sure as shit stared at the now empty cross. He knew something wasn't right about this orchard but that was beyond his wildest imagination. They were stranded in the middle of nowhere with only his knife to protect them. If he ever saw Harley again he was going to kill him for putting Carol in harm's way.

She squeezed his hand again, "How is that possible? I mean I know I just woke up but you saw it too, right? Where did it go?"

The orchard was quiet, too still, and the only thing that Daryl could hear was Carol's breathing as panic slithered around her as if it were a snake ready to constrict. Now that they were a little closer he could see that there was a porch light on at the cottage but he was torn at what to do for a moment. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to get back in the truck and drive until it ran out of gas except that wasn't an option at the moment. The cottage was really their only hope but how was he sure that whoever this sick fuck was that was toying with them didn't live there. They could very well be walking into a trap with no way out.

 _I expect her to come back in one piece without even a single hair out of place_ , Carol's father's voice played through his mind. They hadn't even made it through the first week of their trip and he already had her in the line of danger. A Dixon didn't break a promise though, he'd never let anything happen to her, not while he was still around. He started pulling her along toward the cottage while keeping an extra close eye on their surroundings, his ears trained for the slightest movement or snap of a twig.

Carol swallowed around her fears as goose bumps covered her arms, "You don't have any deep dark secrets you haven't told me about, right?"

"What?"

"Because I don't have any skeletons in my closet except that in the third grade I stole a pack of gum from the gas station."

"What?"

"Well, one of us did something the freaking Hook Man is after us!"

"Oh for fuck's sake, it's some deranged jackass. Less talking, more running."

The orchard was littered with apples that had fallen off the trees making it more difficult to run. Carol would stumble but Daryl would be right there, catching her and pulling her away from whoever was after them. A rustle in the leaves had them skidding to a halt, barely breathing as they squinted through the shadows to see where it came from. Carol went to ask Daryl what they should do but his hand quickly clamped over her mouth, whispering in her ear so quietly that it could have been mistaken for the wind. "Shh, don't speak." He let his hand fall from her mouth, his eyes strained on a group of trees just to their left. What he wouldn't give to have something other than his knife on him right now, but that wasn't an option. With fingertips digging into her sides, his breath fanned over her ear. "On the count of three, run. Don't stop or look back for anything. Get to the cottage. Ready?"

She barely nodded but he felt it, counted down, and she took off like a shot as he took his knife out of his sheath ready to attack the supposed scarecrow. He could hear Carol's feet crunching over the leaves and once he was sure she was far enough away he growled toward the darkness. "Come out you stupid fuck. You want me? I'm right here!"

The figure he could just make out in through the shadows moved faster than humanly possible but he didn't have a second to think about it as he prepared himself for a fight. He would have that is if Carol hadn't let out a yelp as she tripped over a root that had been sticking out of the ground. The only way that it was okay that he was going to kill this scarecrow would have been if he knew Carol would be safe. Keeping the knife in his hand, he jogged over to where she was pushing herself up from the ground.

"Is it still coming?" Carol asked breathlessly, not caring that she was covered in dead grass and splotches of mud.

Daryl shook his head and lightly pushed her towards the cottage that was closer than ever now. "Just run."

They were a bit out of breath as they made their way up the cobblestone walkway. Before they could make it to the porch to knock and alert whoever was inside of their presence the front door opened and out stepped an elderly woman wearing a kind smile and an apron covered in flour.

"Oh my, it's awfully late and you two are quite a ways off the beaten path."

Some of Carol's nerves started to calm at the sweetness of the elderly woman. "Our truck broke down and we saw your cottage from the road. We were hoping you had a phone we could use or maybe some tools that we could borrow to get it working again."

The woman tsked with a disapproving look on her face, "This time of night? No, no, that won't do. Why don't you dears come on inside. I just made a fresh pie. Have yourselves a bite to eat and I'm sure we could figure something out."

The woman left them on the porch, the front door open so they could follow, but Daryl caught Carol's arm before she could do so. "Somethin' don't feel right about this. We shouldn't go in."

"Daryl," she rolled her eyes and patted his chest with her hand. "It's a little old lady, what's the worst she can do? Besides, it's either her or that Hook Man scarecrow thing with the large scythe. I think we can take our chances."

He still wasn't thrilled with the idea but followed her into the house, keeping close, and scouting out any other exits incase they had to leave in a hurry. The house smelt sickeningly sweet which started to dull his senses. The woman had already set down two large pieces of cherry pie on the table while she busied herself in the open kitchen.

"We just had pie earlier at this café in town," Carol tried to turn down the delicious treat that was taunting her from its plate. "I wouldn't want you to waste it on us. If we could just use the phone, please."

The woman smiled, tiny crow's feet forming around the corner of her eyes, "It's not a waste at all. I get lonely out here all alone. It's nice to have guests come to visit. Now, sit, please. You must be so tired."

Carol silently debated it for a moment before taking a seat at the table while Daryl stood off to the side as if he were ready to attack at any moment. She shot him a look and motioned to the chair next to her. There was a scowl on his face but he sat anyways. Carol cleared her throat as the woman set out forks and napkins, "Do you really live out here all alone?"

"For many years now," the woman nodded, a far away look in her eyes as she went back to counter to start preparing another pie. "Go on, now. Eat up. Wouldn't want it to get cold then we can talk about that phone."

Daryl pushed his pie around the plate with his fork, appearing to have been enjoying it but he wasn't as trusting of this woman as Carol was. She had eaten about half of the pie before a grimace washed across her face. Concern flashed through his eyes and she shook her head trying to clear her vision. The room felt as if it was spinning and she had to hold onto the table to steady herself.

"Carol?"

She couldn't even force a smile as she met his gaze, "I don't feel so hot. Think I'm coming down with something." She pushed the plate of food away from her and apologized to the woman. "I can't eat anymore."

"Sure you can," the woman smiled as she dried off a carving knife with a dishtowel. Carol rested her head in her hands and as the woman stepped closer Daryl rose from his seat, a growl vibrating through his chest as he slid Carol's chair away from the table and put himself between her and the woman. She tsked again, "Someone didn't eat their pie like a good boy."

She was fast for an elderly woman and wielded her knife at Daryl who skirted around her as Carol tried to focus. She glanced around the room trying to find someway to help Daryl when her eyes landed on the window and she saw a young girl watching from outside. It struck her as odd to see such a beautiful girl with dark hair and pale skin to be observing something so sickening. She tore her gaze away from the window to check on Daryl and saw the woman smiling as she swung the knife trying to nick him. It wasn't evil or sarcastic, the woman actually appeared overjoyed to be trying to kill them.

Carol stumbled from the chair, taking the glass of water from the table and chugging it in hopes of clearing her head. It wasn't until the woman made another move towards Carol that Daryl shoved her hard enough that she fell back, smashing her head against the counter before falling to the floor unconscious.

She stared at the woman in disbelief as a small puddle of blood started to spill out from beneath her white hair. Her eyes were torn away from the scene as Daryl took her face in his hands, "Are you okay?"

Carol blinked a few times, "She must have drugged the pie…and there was a little girl at the window…we should check on her…"

"Carol," his hands tightened for a brief moment to keep her in the present, worry and anger coursing through him that she wasn't one hundred percent. "How do you feel?"

"Just fuzzy and a little nauseous."

Daryl sat her back in the chair and rummaged through the refrigerator for something to help clear out whatever the woman had drugged Carol with. He found a couple bottles of water and set them next to her with the instruction to drink as he went in search of the phone. It wasn't until several minutes later that he came back to where she was still sitting with a tool box in his hand.

"Doesn't even have a phone here."

Carol sipped on the bottled water he had given her, not trusting anything but what was sealed. "What about the little girl? Shouldn't we see if she needs help? Daryl, she could be out with that scarecrow!"

Daryl's mind was racing but no one would have known by looking at him, his face was expressionless, breathing normal as he checked every window of the house, making sure that there wasn't going to be anymore surprises. "She's gone." A frown pulled at the corner of Carol's lips and as much as he wanted to help the girl there was no indication that she had ever been there. He just attributed it to whatever the woman had drugged the pie with. "Ready to get the fuck out of here?"

She furiously nodded but felt her stomach churn at the sight of the woman. "What about her? We can't just leave her here. Oh my God, what if the cops come after us? Yeah, she was crazy, but Daryl, we killed her."

Daryl helped her out to the porch and then went back inside for a few minutes. Hoping that Carol would be able to walk on her own they stood on the front porch, the light of day just breaking over the trees. It wasn't as eerie in the morning as it had been the night before but Daryl was still leery that the creep from the night before would still be lurking out there just waiting for them. As they slowly made their way through the orchard and got closer to the wooden cross, they expected it to be bare but sure enough there was the scarecrow.

"Daryl…" Carol started.

He instantly shook his head, the night had been screwy enough as it was, and that was without hiding the body of the elderly woman. "Don't even say it. I just want to fix the truck and get the fuck away from here."

They walked in silence back to the road, trying to process everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. Relief flooded them as they saw the truck still sitting where they had left it. With the luck they had been having part of them figured it would be gone. A quick rummage through the bed assured them that all their stuff was untouched.

Carol sat in the driver's seat as he checked under the hood easier in the daylight than in the dark. He asked her to start it to see what sound it made, if any, so he could figure out what was wrong but as she turned the key in the ignition, the truck rumbled to life as if nothing had ever been wrong with it.

They didn't discuss what had happened as Daryl had the truck speeding away as fast as possible and while Carol slept off the pie she had eaten he only could hope that the excitement for their trip was over.


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so thrilled that you all are enjoying this and your kind words are just the icing on the cake. I feel like this one is kind of a filler chapter but I wanted to show a bit of their relationship instead of bouncing right from one scary thing to the next. I can't promise I'll be able to post every day like I have been doing but I'm going to do my absolute best!**

Chapter 3

Two days later Burkitsville, Indiana was just a nightmare and they had made a pack that no one else was to ever find about what happened. Hell, no one would have believed the madness anyways and they weren't about to be wearing jackets to hug themselves the rest of their lives. They easily settled back into their road trip mode after stopping to pick up a new map.

Carol sat at the table of the local diner with a red marker drawing out where they should go. She was so wrapped up in the cities she wanted to see and the country side she wanted to drive through that Daryl was sure that if he got up and left she wouldn't have even known. It was times like these though that his heart skipped a beat, the moments when she wasn't doing anything but being herself. The marker was twirling between her fingers as her eyes roamed the map in front of her, not even glancing up when she shoved another fry in her mouth. He had kept an exceptionally close eye on her after the incident with the elderly woman worried that she might have some lasting side effects but she seemed fine the next day. He didn't care if it meant having to drive completely around the state there was no way in hell he would be driving through Indiana again on their way home.

She mentioned possibly stopping to meet up with an old friend and while he didn't exactly want to share his time with her he wouldn't have been able to say no if he even tried. That would be tomorrow's problem though, tonight it would be just the two of them, the way he liked it the most.

After the diner they had driven for a bit until they found a place to pull over, far enough off the road that if by chance a car drove by they wouldn't have been seen. They hadn't passed any in awhile though so it was the least of their worries. It was young love, unlike anything that was ever supposed to exist. While they might have been only teenagers their souls had been waiting for one another for what felt like an eternity. There wasn't anyone else in the world they could see themselves with. Laying in the bed of the truck, staring up at the sky above them, the two had never been so content with life before. There was no extra noise from traffic, no city lights, and best of all no family members to interrupt the moment. They had been dating for a few years but somehow it felt like this trip was just the beginning of their adventures to come now that they were done with school.

A cool breeze blew through the air and Carol shifted closer to him, resting her head on his chest. If she could have stayed there forever she would have. Everything was as fantastic as it could be, or so she thought, until she moved and placed a soft kiss to Daryl's neck. He was warm, comforting, and something she was sure no other man had. When he pulled her even closer and their lips met she knew it was perfection. There would never be another night like this in all her life and she wanted to freeze the moment, bottle it up, and save it for a rainy day. She wasn't going to spend her night worrying that it wasn't going to last though, she was going to enjoy it.

Her lips tasted like cherry coke and it ignited a thirst in Daryl he hadn't imagined was possible. Hands began to roam as their tongues mapped out each other's mouths, claiming the other as their own, fighting for dominance, and filling with such a longing that ached to be filled. Carol straddled him, just taking in the man beneath her. The boyish smirk he usually wore when she was around was gone, his eyes no more than a sea of mysteries as they didn't stare back but right through her. She might have only been eighteen years old but she was sure this was what love was supposed to be.

Knowing there wasn't anyone around for miles, she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side, feeling adventurous in a state where no one knew her name. His warm hands ran over her smooth skin as if he were committing every inch to memory. There was a question in her eyes though and with the slightest of nods from Daryl she reached behind herself and unclasped her bra. Embarrassment hadn't flushed her cheeks like she had expected it to and it gave her the courage for her fingers to land on his belt, tugging it open.

 **X-X-X**

Daryl woke the next morning as the first bit of light washed over them, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes he glanced down at Carol who was curled up into his side still fast asleep. He took the moment alone to think about the night before. It was further than they had ever gone and hoped that he had done everything he was supposed to. Leave it to him to fuck it up once he finally got the chance. Merle's voice taunted him as comments flew through his mind so quickly that the last one hadn't finished before the next one had started.

He would have been stuck with the constant ridicule if Carol's nose hadn't twitched from her hair blowing in her face, slowly waking her. He was nervous that she might have regretted how far they had gone but his fears were easily put to ease as she graced him with a small smile and quick kiss.

"How long have you been up?" She stretched, a yawn escaping as she did so. She didn't understand why his eyes were cautious as if she was going to bolt out of the truck at any minute but she wasn't awake enough to put too much thought into it at the moment.

Now that she was awake, he pulled out a cigarette from his pack with his teeth and lit it, inhaling the much needed nicotine into his lungs. Blowing the smoke off to the side, he shrugged. "Few minutes. Sleep okay?"

She yawned again and smiled, "I don't mind staying in the truck overnight but at least in a motel they provide breakfast, coffee, and you know, a bathroom."

He chuckled and motioned to a large maple tree by the truck, "There's your bathroom."

"I'm not peeing outside someone could see!"

Daryl's brow creased in confusion as his eyes scanned the area around them not a soul in sight. "Who?"

"There's squirrels…and birds…and shit." She stared at him in disbelief horrified by the idea that she would have to pop a squat behind some tree. "I'll just wait until we stop for coffee."

"Don't know how far it is to the next town."

Well, she was just going to have to cross her legs then because there was no way on God's green earth she was going to _ever_ do that. "Then let's get going."

"It could be miles," he warned her but she could have sworn there was a hint of mischief swimming in his eyes like he was enjoying watching her squirm.

She hopped down from the bed of the truck and glared at him in mock anger. "And it could be just around the next bend."

"Are you willing to find out?" He moved to the tailgate, letting his legs hang over the edge as he blew a circle of smoke before flicking his cigarette off to the side. Carol stood there with her arms crossed and he had to work hard to keep the smirk off his face. Rummaging through the cooler, he pulled out a soda can and cracked the top, taking a long drink.

She shifted on her feet before letting out a growl that matched that of a Dixon's as she moved away from him and closer to the tree. "You better not look!"

He was going to comment that it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before but figured he didn't want to press his luck too much.

 **X-X-X**

It had been years since Carol had seen Kat but they picked right back up as if no time had been lost. Kat introduced them to her boyfriend Gavin who Daryl had his own opinions about but offered him a tight smile in greeting, figuring the quicker the girls caught up the quicker he'd be out of there and alone with Carol again. Speed wasn't exactly in their vocabulary Daryl found out the hard way after spending most the day in Kat's basement. Gavin kept trying to talk to him about sports or whatever but he wasn't paying attention.

"Kat," Gavin broke into the girls' conversation, "If we want to be able to go see some ghosts we should leave soon. It's dark by now and it'll be easier to get in."

As if Kat could read the questioning expression on Carol's face she rolled her eyes before she started to explain. "The Roosevelt Asylum has been shutdown since the sixties when apparently the patients over took the place. Some bodies were never recovered and it's supposedly haunted."

"Yeah," Gavin nodded, more excited than a kid at Christmas with the whole idea of it. "Then in the seventies three kids broke into the south wing and only one survived."

Kat turned her attention back to Carol. "It's stupid, really. All stories that the kids around here tell because there's nothing better to do." She paused for a moment and shrugged, "So, you in?"

"To break into an asylum and play Ghostbusters?" Carol asked, her eyes as wide as saucers. She met Daryl's gaze knowing that she couldn't blurt out that they had enough weird shit for one trip. She chewed her bottom lip as she took a deep breath. She had to learn to not fear her own shadow in the darkness and she would never get the courage if she played it safe the rest of her life. The scarecrow had been a fluke and the crazy granny just a bad memory that she would have to lock away.

Besides, they were teenagers they were supposed to make mistakes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys the chapter!**

Chapter 4

Carol wasn't sure what she had been expecting but seeing the building with a fence around it and a sign that read _No Trespassing_ had her wondering if this was really the best idea. She was all for some adventure but not at the expense of breaking the law and as far as she knew Kat wasn't either. Gavin threw his backpack over the fence and started climbing over. Kat only glanced once over to Carol before letting out a sigh and doing the same.

"Don't have to go if you don't want to," Daryl's low voice met her ear and just like that all her fears had melted away. It wasn't like she would be wandering around alone. Besides, nothing bad could happen to her while Daryl was around and Kat said kids broke into this place all the time.

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and taunted him, "Scared, Dixon?"

He shook his head and interlaced his fingers together so she had something to step on as he helped her get over the fence. Once on her feet, he scaled it effortlessly, landing next to her with a grin on his face. Gavin led them towards the entrance which opened a little too easily, but since there was a fence around the building it should have been enough to keep any sane person out. Weeds grew through the cracked cement of the stairs and the paint on the door was so chipped she couldn't tell what color it used to be.

Inside the floor was littered with old patient files, empty beer bottles, and tons of red solo cups. At least they weren't the only ones that had broken in before for some fun. Inches of dust lay on any flat surface, spider webs in every corner and graffiti on the walls. Carol tried to imagine what it looked like when it was a pristine building but found that it gave her a chill. It really wasn't as bad as she expected it to be. This was something she could handle.

"North Wing," Gavin read one of the signs, using his flashlight to illuminate the room and had a wicked smile spreading across his face as he turned around. Carol had never seen someone one so excited as the light landed on the sign above the door. "South Wing, here it is!"

"And why are we going in the South Wing?" Carol questioned quietly as if there were someone around that could hear her. Gavin went on a whole spiel about that's where the real crazies were kept and he didn't come to explore some offices, he wanted the real deal. Carol didn't reply but her eyes did land on the chain hanging off one of the door handles, a deadbolt attached to it. It was a warning she should have taken seriously.

Even stepping into the hallway it felt different than the foyer they had been standing in a few minutes ago. If the walls could talk they could only imagine the stories they would tell, the true horrors of what happened behind the closed door, the muffled screams, and pleading cries.

When Carol hadn't followed Daryl stayed with her, "You okay?"

"The only thing that scares me more than a ghost is the ghost of a psycho killer."

Daryl hid his smile as her eyes danced around the hallway. Gavin pulled Kat into one of the rooms while Carol and Daryl walked a few doors down before deciding on a room. It was full of equipment that they had never seen before but it was clear that it was inhumane. There were stations set up for electroshock therapy, lobotomies, and some tools that they could only assume came straight out of a horror film.

"What did they do to these people?"

"Nothin' good," Daryl shook his head, taking in the thick leather straps attached to the side of the bed to keep the patient in place.

Carol was just about to pick up a patient file that had been left on the table to see if it held any of the answers to their questions when they heard Kat yelling for Gavin. Sharing a look, they ran out of the room and into the hallway to see Kat standing further down with Gavin's backpack at her feet.

"What's going on? Where did he go?" Carol questioned as they got closer.

Kat pulled her jacket tighter around herself and nodded down yet another hallway. "He wanted to go check out more rooms but I told him that I didn't want to go. I told him I'd stay here but then I heard him scream and now he hasn't come back."

Both girls looked to Daryl as if he would have all the answers and he suppressed a growl that threatened to rumble through his chest. He knew this Gavin was going to be trouble. "I'm sure he just saw his own reflection and pissed his pants and is too embarrassed to come back. I'll go get him so we can get the fuck out of here."

"Be careful," she warned.

"No such thing as ghosts, Carol."

 **X-X-X**

The girls waited in complete silence trying to hear the slightest of footsteps or even for one of them to speak. After what felt like hours Carol looked over to Kat. "This doesn't feel right. Something might have happened to them."

"So you want to go walking straight into whatever the hell took them? They could just be playing some kind of trick on us."

"Daryl wouldn't do that." Carol rummaged through Gavin's pack and grabbed the last flashlight. Taking a deep breath, she rounded the corner. "Hey, Kat," Carol got her attention as they walked down the hallway arm in arm in search of Daryl and Gavin. "We've seen enough horror movies together, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"Next time it says a place is haunted. Don't go in."

Whispering Daryl and Gavin's names as the crept along, they kept their eyes peeled for anything that would let them know what happened. It looked just like the last hallway that they had been in with the exception of a few more carts pushed up against the walls. A door opened to their right and they both let out a breath assuming they had found the guys until they realized it was female.

Freezing in their tracks, Kat swallowed, "I'm seeing shit."

Carol blinked a few times. Things like this weren't supposed to be real they were called stories for a reason, they were just that, a story that someone had made up to scare another person. Yet, here she was staring at a spirit. It appeared human like except the fact that it was translucent. Its hair was dirty and matted; clothes ripped and bloody, and wore a wicked smile on its face.

Did ghosts have super speed? Would it matter if they ran? Did they have super strength? God could they hear what she was thinking? Kat and Carol took slow deliberate steps back away from the horror in front of them until it started forward. Letting go of one another so they could run faster, they sprinted down the hallway screaming for the guys. Glancing behind her to see how close the spirit was, Carol didn't notice Kat run back down the hallway they had come from in the first place and kept running forward until she couldn't run anymore.

Now that she couldn't see the spirit anymore she started looking around for Kat. "Katherine!" Carol harshly whispered. This had to be some kind of sick joke. How could they have gotten separated? Because they were chicken shit and ran. She would have felt better if Daryl was with her but at least if Kat was there she wasn't alone like she was now. Common sense told her to head back to the main room by the entrance, somewhere they had all been to, but she wasn't exactly sure how to get there. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she whipped her head around expecting someone to be there but the hallway was empty. She was just about to let out a breath of relief when she turned back and the spirit of one of the patients was standing in front of her.

 **X-X-X**

"Carol!" Daryl shouted, his anger spiking by the second. He was fine walking around an abandoned building, there was little that truly scared him anymore, but there was this pit of worry growing in his stomach that something horrible had happened. He should have never let Carol out of his sight. Who the fuck cared if Gavin was lost somewhere? Letting Kat and Carol go more than five feet away from him was one of the stupidest things he had ever done. "Carol!"

Gavin peered out of one of the rooms, his face as white as a sheet. "Oh, thank God I'm not alone." The relieved expression was quickly wiped off as Daryl pinned him to the wall, his hands tightly fisted in his shirt, his forehead pressed up against his.

"The fuck were you thinking bringing them here?"

Gavin struggled to breathe, his relief of not being alone giving him the courage to speak to the threatening Dixon. "It was all legends! None of this was supposed to be real!"

"So you just thought wandering off would be a smart idea?" Daryl slammed him up against the wall one more time for emphasis before letting him drop to the ground.

"Dude, believe me I'm scarred for life. One of them kissed me."

Daryl was ready to hit him just so he would shut his mouth but if he could find Gavin then he could find Carol and Kat. "Let's go."

Daryl's blood pumped loud in his ears as they turned down another hallway in search of the girls. That's when he heard it, Kat screaming Carol's name and he took off like a bolt in the same direction not caring if Gavin was following or not. Rounding the corner, he found Kat with tears streaming down her face as she pounded on one of the doors.

"She's in there with one of them!" Kat cried, still pounding on the door as if one more hit would really make a difference. She stopped long enough to smack Gavin across the face as Daryl tried pulling the door open by the knob.

"Get me out of here!"

The sound of her voice was like music to his ears, so close yet so far away, this damn door separating them. He couldn't blame her for being petrified, locked in some dark room all by herself with a ghost as long as it didn't harm her. He rammed into the door, his shoulder hurting like a bitch, but not helping him to get it open. The pain was easy to ignore as he tried again and again. He'd get her out. "Carol, stand away from the door!"

Time after time he slammed into the door, tried to pry it open with debris that lay in the hallway, and even tried to pick the old lock but nothing worked. He was ready to tear this whole place apart when the door clicked, slowly opening.

Carol stepped out, her tears still damp on her checks though she was no longer crying with a blank expression on her face. "Room one thirty-seven."

Daryl took her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away the remaining tears as he searched her for any injury but there didn't seem to be any. "What did you just say?"

"The spirit spoke to me. He told me room one thirty-seven."


	5. Chapter 5

**I apologize for the wait! I was trying to figure out how to get them out of the asylum since we have to remember that they aren't the Winchesters from Supernatural. They don't know about hunting, or rock salt, or holy water. Hopefully I haven't disappointed :)**

Chapter 5

"Room one thirty-seven?" Gavin asked again earning a nod from Carol. "I wonder if that's where the riot ended. It'd have to be the worst place if the ghosts are telling us to go there. All the room numbers up here are in the two hundreds though it must be in the basement. Did any of you see a set of stairs?"

The three of them stared at him before Kat punched him in the arm, "What the fuck is wrong with you? God you belong in here with these psychos."

"I…" Gavin started to argue but once his eyes met Daryl's icy glare he snapped his mouth shut knowing he had lost and getting put through a wall wasn't on his list of things to do.

Daryl kept a tight grip on Carol's hand as the four of them tried to navigate their way back to the entrance. There was no way in hell he was getting separated from her again though if Gavin happened to slip off it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world. It would have been easier if they hadn't lost their flashlights somewhere and everything didn't look the same. It was dirty floors, torture rooms, and the sounds of the spirits hallway after hallway. Carol's gasp had Daryl instantly pulling her behind him not knowing what was going on until he saw a patient stuffed into the bottom of one of the carts. He almost wished it was the actual body instead of just the image of the spirit, its arms still tied back in a straightjacket as its head spun uncontrollably, moving so quickly that their eyes couldn't keep up, giving it a blurred and broken look.

He couldn't blame them for taking over in the first place. He couldn't even fathom what it must have been like to have been kept there with no family to visit, the government locking them away so they didn't have to deal with them, and giving free range for the doctors to do experiments on them. Mentally unstable or not they were still human and here they were treating them as if they were lab rats.

A door slammed somewhere behind the four of them and everyone but Daryl jumped with Gavin letting out a scream he shouldn't have been proud of. It wasn't until they heard footsteps that they picked up their pace, searching for anywhere to take cover since they couldn't find a way out and even though there were enough items laying around that would scare off any human none of them would have worked on a ghost.

They hid behind an overturned table as the sounds of footsteps got increasingly louder. Carol was wedged between Daryl and Kat as she held her breath afraid that even the slightest movement would alert the killers to their hiding spot. Was it even possible to get rid of a ghost? Gavin's words from earlier in the night played though her mind, _three kids broke into the South Wing and only one survived_. This was it. She wanted to have some good old teenage fun without worrying about the consequences for once and now Daryl was going to end up dead because of her. Would they end up as spirits too? Would they become the killers they were now cowering from?

Well, if this was truly her last moments on Earth she wasn't going to waste it. She moved ever so slowly, careful not to make the slightest of sounds, as she grabbed Daryl's face with her trembling hands. Even in the dark room his eyes claimed her as his own, giving her the courage to block out the footsteps that were sure to find them at any second. Her lips met Daryl's in a passionate kiss but she could barely revel in the feeling before a bright light was shone in their faces.

What was that old saying? Don't go towards the light? Carol deepened the kiss trying to stay away from their impending doom when someone cleared their throat. "All right you four. Time to go."

Carol slowly turned around and squinted through the bright light that was now shining toward their feet. She had never been so happy to see a policeman before and didn't even care if they were going to get in trouble for being there in the first place. They were saved.

The cop led them back through the asylum as if he had been there a hundred times and a huge sigh of relief came when they walked through the front door, the night sky a welcomed sight after the horrors they had seen in the building behind them. They walked through the open gate and the girls jumped at the sight of another policeman that seemed to have come out of no where.

"I've been radioing for you. Where the hell have you been?" The first cop asked.

The second swiped his hand under his nose to clear the drop of blood, "Was in the basement."

Luckily, they weren't charged with trespassing and just got a stern warning to never come back onto the property. It wasn't like they had to be told twice, Carol was going to make sure they were never back in the county and next time Kat wanted to hang out they were going to go to the movies.

 **X-X-X**

Twenty four hours later Daryl and Carol were enjoying a couple of burgers in a dive bar they came across on a back road they were forced to take as a detour. The place was pretty laid back with good music and soft lighting. There were a couple pool tables and a dart board that Carol thought might be fun to try before they left. They had been so hungry that they hadn't really been paying much attention to anything but the food in front of them but then a special news brief caught Carol's eye on a nearby television. A picture of one of the cops that saved them from the asylum flashed across the screen and Carol lightly kicked Daryl under the table to get his attention.

"Daryl, that's…" she trailed off as the broadcaster spoke about how he had gone home that night and shot his wife before putting the gun in his own mouth.

"What the fuck?"

Carol couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen until it switched back to the regularly scheduled program. Her mind filled with so many questions she didn't have much of an appetite anymore. What if they had gone into the basement like Gavin had suggested? Would they have ended up the same way? She knew that he gave her the creeps but didn't think too much of it at the time figuring it was just because of everything they had seen. She pushed her plate off to the side and ruffled through her bag until she found the map and a few markers.

Daryl watched as Carol crossed off town after town on the map, using a blue marker to draw out a new route. It hadn't exactly been the easy going, fun vacation they had planned and part of him wondered if they should just head back to Georgia. The most maddening thing there would be their families interrupting their time alone but that was starting to sound more appealing than thinking they were going to end up on a couple of missing persons posters. Pretty soon the map looked more like she was planning some type of attack instead of a road trip.

"I think you've crossed out the whole state of Kentucky."

Carol never once took her eyes off the map as she continued to check and double check the new route she had planned out from them. "I'm making sure we don't even go near anymore asylums, orchards, cottages, graveyards, or anything that could possibly end with us six feet under."

"It's just woods through here," Daryl pointed out after licking off the ketchup from him finger.

She shook her head though, "That's country route 13." He stared at her not understanding what the issue was and she sighed. "Hey, I think I earned the right to be a little superstitious."

"So, we've had some bad luck. It's a full moon tonight does that mean you don't want to spend it in the truck again?" He had meant it as a joke and hoped his night was going to go the same way it did the last time they camped out in the bed of the truck but the look on Carol's face told him he had said the wrong thing. "I was kidding."

"Nothing is biting me tonight," she gave him a pointed look, "Werewolf or otherwise."

He shook his head and had to suppress the laughter that threatened to spill from his lips and totally ruin his night. Leaving a few bills on the table to cover their meals he led her to an open dart board in hopes of clearing her mind. It was working for the most part, her smile would grow every time he purposely threw a dart to where he would get less points.

"If you are really set on getting a motel room for the night then we should probably head out."

She nodded and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm just going to use the restroom quick I'll meet you out at the truck."

There were two women in front of her and she waited in line, her eyes scanning the bar for a television to occupy her time until it was her turn. She saw Daryl head out the door and was happy when she was able to take a step forward only having one more person in front of her. It was hard to stay positive after everything they had been through but she was bound and determined to make the best of their trip. Lord only knew when they would be able to get away again after they got back.

After using the restroom, Carol was stopped by a woman asking if she had change for a twenty and although she did it would have been hard to explain why she was keeping her money in her sock so she apologized. There was a slight chill in the air and she crossed her arms over her chest as she made her way to the truck. She stopped short though when Daryl wasn't in the cab. Had he gone back inside and she missed him? Feeling like an idiot, she went back in the bar but couldn't see him anywhere. He had to have been in the restroom so she leaned against the wall by the door waiting for him to finish but fifteen minutes later the worry in the pit of her stomach grew unbearable.

Deciding she had no other choice, she squared her shoulders and walked right into the men's room to see if he was okay but it was empty. She talked to the waiter who had served them their food but the last he had seen him was when he walked out the door. Running back outside, she scanned the parking lot and asked a couple bikers out there if they had seen him but they all shook their heads.

He was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**I go back and forth a bit between Daryl and Carol, hope it isn't too confusing, and I promise they won't be apart for long. I apologize for the wait for this chapter sometimes the muse just isn't there. Anything you want to see let me know and I'll see what I can do! As well as any suggestions/comments/critiques are all welcome! I'm an OC girl at heart so writing a ship is a little intimidating but you all have been so awesome :)**

Chapter 6

Daryl's name left her mouth in whispered prayer as she stood in the middle of the parking lot. He was gone. She briefly glanced up to the full moon and felt a chill. It wasn't as if a person could just disappear into thin air though after everything they had been through since the beginning of their trip she wasn't willing to rule anything out. She stood there probably longer than she should have but she wasn't exactly sure what to do or where to start looking for him. It wasn't as if roles were reversed, he was an excellent tracker, but that was something he did with his brother. She had never paid much attention to it. Hell, living in the suburbs of Georgia she never planned on needing to know how to track anything in the first place. It didn't mean she was completely clueless either but there wasn't any sign of a struggle and she knew damn sure Daryl wouldn't have gone without a fight, unless something had happened to him.

Out of habit, she was ready to climb into the passenger seat of the truck until she took a deep breath and headed from the driver's side. The keys were in the ignition which gave her a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach but at least she'd have transportation. Her first instinct was to call Merle knowing without a sliver of doubt that he would drop everything and come find his brother yet she couldn't get her fingers to dial his number on her cell phone. What was she supposed to say? _Your brother just disappeared and it's a full moon so it very well could have been a werewolf_. Lord, he'd have her fucking committed and after their little outing to the asylum that thought was more than terrifying.

Noting that it was just before ten, Carol gave herself a twenty four hour deadline to find Daryl before giving in and calling Merle. It was a comfort to know that no matter what she had him as a safety net so to speak but at the moment she was all alone in a strange state without the faintest of ideas of where to start looking.

 **X-X-X**

Daryl groaned as he came to, blinking repeatedly to clear his vision. His head and the back of his shoulders were killing him something awful. What the fuck had happened? He remembered leaving the bar and heading for the truck but then everything went black. Where the hell was Carol? The thought had him pushing himself to his feet but he was quickly knocked back down when his head hit the top of a cage. Thick metal bars were woven together with a lock that even the best wouldn't have been able to pick. If that was supposed to deter him from trying to get out then whoever had put him there was sadly mistaken.

His boot came up against the door over and over again. He wasn't an animal, they couldn't just throw him in a cage expecting him to behave, and they better be damn sure that if or when they came to check in he was going to bite the hand that fed him. Who or _what_ ever put him here had taken his knife that usually hung at his side and even the smaller one he kept in his boot that no one knew about.

"Might as well give it up," the man from the cage across from him spoke. "Going to end up breaking your foot before getting the damn door open."

Daryl grunted as he ignored what he already knew and slammed his foot against the metal again. "Anyone else here?"

"You mean besides the hillbillies with the need to eat people?" The glare that the man received was enough of a response as he shook his head. "Didn't believe it myself but the guy that used to be in your cage got let out a day ago. He tried to make a run for it…man, the screams…unlike anything you've ever heard before. When they came back I thought my ticket was up but they just threw you in and left."

"Any women here?"

The man snorted, "Not unless you count that creepy ass little kid that looks like she got ran over by the lawnmower."

Daryl let out a slight breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. At least he knew Carol wasn't locked in some cage somewhere but the thought that she was all alone now didn't set well with him. There had to be some way out of there. "How long you been in here?"

"Three days. They come in once a night with a plate of food so we don't keel over before they get the chance to kill us themselves. The first night I didn't touch it, not really sure what kind of meat it is if you know what I mean, but by that second day it didn't really matter." He paused for a moment and shifted in his cage so that he could stretch his legs out. "I'm Jenkins by the way since I'm assuming we'll be stuck together for awhile."

"Daryl."

 **X-X-X**

Carol had driven to the motel they had talked about staying in earlier in the night hoping that by some miracle maybe he would have been there waiting for her. She was really just grasping at straws at this point and while she wanted nothing more than to find him a part of her wondered if she should have stayed at the bar awhile longer. If he got away from whatever it was that got him then he would be stranded there. On the other hand, she couldn't just sit there all night long when he could very well need her help. Either way she went back to the bar because she had no idea where else to go.

She knew it was a long shot but she dialed Daryl's cell number and slowly brought it up to her ear not knowing if she would be more relieved if someone answered or not. What if someone had taken him and was going to offer up a ransom? She'd do what she could but the three hundred she had stuffed in her sock just didn't seem like it would even be close to enough. The thought didn't last too long as the call went to voicemail and though she doubted he would even listen to it she left a message.

Twenty four hours was a long time when you needed to find someone in a hurry and she almost broke down and called Merle anyways. What was the worst that was going to happen? He'd show up and Daryl came back before Merle got there then they would get an earful. She thought back to the night they left on their trip, begging her mother not to worry, and begrudgingly her mother had agreed not to check in in return for Carol promising to call if there was a problem. If whatever had taken Daryl came for her next no one would even know they were gone.

 _This is ridiculous_ , she reasoned with herself as she dialed Merle's number waiting impatiently as it rang several times. That was when she noticed a security camera that was recording the parking lot. Hanging up before Merle could get to his phone, she decided maybe she could do this on her own after all.

 **X-X-X**

Daryl sat in the corner of the cage, the expression on his face emotionless and eyes calculating. If Jenkins hadn't seen him blink he thought he might have been dead by how quiet and still he had been. Jenkins learned quickly that Daryl wasn't much of a conversationalist but he would have to get over that if they were to come up with a plan to escape. He was about to attempt bringing it up when Daryl suddenly stood as much as he could in the cage, taking hold of a low hanging wire. He pulled on it with all his might but it wouldn't budge until he hung from it, his weight forcing something to break loose.

"What is it?"

Daryl picked up the piece of metal that had fallen into his cage, "A bracket."

"Oh, now we're saved," Jenkins rolled his eyes but before Daryl could snap at him the door on his cage opened with a slow creak. "Maybe you short circuited something."

Daryl was cautious as he crawled out, standing when he was free and popping his back. It was all too easy to be true, a little too anticlimactic, and he wasn't about to be caught off guard. He tried for a moment to get Jenkins out but whoever had opened the door on his cage wasn't allowing both of them to leave. He promised he would send help as soon as he could and slipped out of the barn and into the night.

The house was lit up, music played through the cracked windows, and the unmistakable sound of a saw could be heard. He didn't need to investigate to imagine what could have been going on instead choosing to head to the woods and find a road. It wasn't anything like back in Georgia where he knew where to go without a shadow of a doubt but if he paid attention the woods would tell him which way to go. He had just gotten to the tree line when the light of the moon shone off the blade of his knife lying in the grass.

It finally made sense to him. They weren't going to just eat him like some deranged cannibal. They were going to hunt him first.


	7. Chapter 7

**I have no excuses for the delay in updates except that being an adult sucks lol. Hope you all are still with me and that you enjoy the chapter. Let me know what you think :)**

Chapter 7

The hope that came with spotting the security camera slowly dissipated in Carol when she realized it wasn't from the bar but one for traffic. While she had no problem with authority she knew without a doubt that walking into a police station asking to see the footage off the camera would never happen. The parking lot was empty besides two other vehicles, one that got left because someone was too intoxicated and the other from the bartender who was still closing up.

Holding her cell phone tightly in her hand, ready to call Merle if the guy tried anything, she headed back into the bar. The televisions that hung around the room were turned off, the lights brighter than she remembered, and the whole place silent except whatever the bartender was doing in the back room. She cleared her throat, still unsure of what she was even going to say. "Excuse me?"

A few dishes clattered in the back room and she thought maybe he hadn't heard her. Just as she was about to try again he poked his head out, walking closer once he noticed her standing there. "Sorry we're closed."

"Yes and I'm sure you are more than ready to leave for the night but I was hoping…" she trailed off. This was ridiculous. What was he going to be able to do for her?

He dried his hands on a worn towel and threw it over his shoulder, seemingly waiting her out but when she never continued he sighed. "Listen, sweetheart, I can see that you aren't from around here but when we are closed we are closed. There's no handouts, even for pretty little things like you, and there's no taxis that come out this way so go on now. If you need some place to stay there's a motel a few miles down the road."

Carol's thumb ran over her phone. She wanted to scream. She needed to find Daryl as much as she needed to breathe but being barely eighteen no one was going to take her seriously. It would be too easy to call Merle, hand off the responsibility to him, because he wouldn't stop until Daryl was found and whoever took him was punished.

"Hey, you hear me?"

A fire blazed behind her eyes that would have melted the gates of hell, "Yes I heard you but I'm not leaving until you hear me out. I'm not here for your alcohol and before you think of doing anything out of Deliverance just know that I have a knife on me and I will stab you before you even know what hit you." If he saw through her bluff he didn't comment and she kept on before she lost the little bit of courage that was propelling her forward. "The guy I was in here with earlier has disappeared and I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers."

The man dropped his head for a moment, "Fuck, it happened again."

Now that she was actually getting somewhere some of the fury slipped from her voice, "What do you mean _again_? People normally go missing? Are they ever found?"

"No."

 **X-X-X**

Daryl had been out in the woods since he was old enough to use a knife. He was taught to track, hunt, and live off the land. There wasn't anywhere else in the world that he felt more in his element but the tables had been turned. This time he was the one being hunted. He'd have to utilize every skill he had to escape these fuckers and get back to Carol but if it came down to it he'd kill if he had to.

He was on full alert, the handle of the knife swinging between his fingers ready to stab and slash his way through anything. It wasn't until the owl stopped signing its nightly song that his hackles raised. Slipping into the shadows, he listened to the two men that were attempting to track him. They weren't as inexperienced as Daryl expected them to be but they were overconfident and it hindered their stealth. One of them was so out of shape that he huffed with every step, nearly gasping for breath as he tried to keep up with the other man that started to whistle. It was an upbeat tune that disgusted Daryl and it tempted him to think about what they had planned for him before they intended on taking his life.

"Told ya this was goin' to be a fun one," one of the men laughed, twigs snapping and leaves crunching under every step like a beacon. "Last boy barely made it out the yard."

"Shut your mouth, Nate."

"I want to see the life leave his eyes. Think he will cry?"

"Think we gotta catch him first."

Idiots walked right passed him, creeping further into the woods. It would have been too easy to sneak up behind them, take them out as they would have tried to do to him, but it wasn't worth the fight. He had the chance to get out of there and he was going to take it. He had to find Carol. Just because she wasn't locked in some cage didn't mean she wasn't in harm's way. Once he knew they weren't doubling back he headed off in the other direction, his senses still on high alert as he pressed on in search of a landmark.

 **X-X-X**

Carol hadn't realized just how many private drives weren't marked on the map the bartender had given her. Some were easy to rule out, the foliage so overgrown that it was clear no one had been through there in years, but others wound behind thick trees camouflaging whatever was behind them. He had tried to warn her not to go looking for trouble, that she was never going to find who was missing, and that if she didn't leave well enough alone she could end up worse than dead. It was all ignored. Clearly the man had no one that he cared about or he would have understood her need to find him. Maybe she hadn't thought this plan through as much as she should have. If these psychos were able to get the jump on Daryl then what was she going to be able to do? Was she supposed to go down every drive in hopes that she picked the right one and he would just be standing there waiting for her?

Naïve was what she was. She wasn't going to give up, not until she found Daryl, not until she had answers, but she also knew she was going to need help. Dialing Merle's number, she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder while she had the map in one hand and the wheel in the other. It rang twice her eyes trailing over the map before flashing back up to the road in time to see someone stumbling out of the woods. She dropped the phone and the map, gripping the steering wheel with both hands as she slammed on the breaks.

The truck finally stopped in the middle of the road, headlights blinding the man and Carol's heart about beating out of her chest. It took her a moment to notice the red rag Daryl always had tucked in his back pocket and relief flooded her as she bounded from the cab. By some miracle she had found…she stopped dead in her tracks as the man smiled, his blackened teeth and yellowed eyes making her skin crawl. She was sure that was Daryl's rag, she had seen that ratty old thing so many times she would be able to spot it anywhere, but when where was Daryl?


	8. Chapter 8

**So I added just a smidge of Supernatural in here ;)**

Chapter 8

Being able to see a road through the trees was such a relief until he saw the lights from a vehicle. Quickly crouching down he waited for it to pass in case it was the same psychos that had gotten the jump on him in the first place. The tires squealed to a stop and he almost growled, there was no way those assholes would have been able to track him and he knew damn well he was well hidden from the road. It wasn't until he heard a soft gasp that curiosity got the best of him and he carefully crept his way towards the road.

The closer he got the more anger that built up inside of him as he saw Carol standing in front of his truck, the headlights giving her an angelic aura while one of the deranged freaks stood in front of her. The guy only took one step forward and before Carol even had a chance to react there was a scuffle, leaving Daryl on top punching the man in the face. He was so blinded by rage that he forgot Carol was even standing there until he heard her shift behind him. Pushing himself up from the road, he spit on the unconscious hillbilly, and then took Carol into his arms, the embrace so tight she was sure he was going to break her in half but she would never complain.

She finally pulled away enough to run her hand over his face as if to prove to herself he was really standing there. "What happened? I looked everywhere and I even called…" she trailed off, slamming her head into his chest. "I was calling Merle when the guy popped out of nowhere. I don't know if he answered or not but if he did, he heard me scream as I slammed on the breaks."

Daryl couldn't care less about his brother at the moment. Carol hadn't been touched and that was all that mattered. They broke apart only to get into the truck and then she scooted over, sitting right next to him feeling as though if she let him out of her sight he would disappear again.

Fourteen hours and one state later, Carol was nestled in Daryl's side, watching as the stars began to blanket the sky for the night. Their trip had been so hectic that she was sure she was going to need another vacation. She had called Merle back, lying and saying it was only a prank to see what he would do. He gave her an earful before hanging up on her with a growl. She let out a long breath as she adjusted her head on his chest, "I think we should go home."

"Tired?" Daryl traced his fingers up her bare arm, getting ready to get back in the truck and head to the motel room they booked for the night.

While Carol could have easily slept she was almost afraid to close her eyes, not knowing what would happen if she did. Just when she started to believe in the supernatural some very human freaks thought it would be a good idea to try and take Daryl from her. There wasn't anywhere that was safe.

"I meant home as in Georgia." Daryl shifted enough so that he was able to see her face and the questioning look in his eyes had her chewing on her bottom lip. "I thought this trip was going to be all fun and adventure but it's turned into some weird horror movie and I kind of just want to go home." Feeling terrible that she was cutting their time together short, she gave him a sly smile in hopes of lightening the mood. "Doesn't mean we have to tell anyone we are home."

He wasn't going to argue with her and agreed that in the morning they would head for home but they still had tonight. He pulled her on top of him, a laugh escaping before his lips locked on to hers.

 **X-X-X**

Heading back to Georgia wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, in all honesty it was probably the best part of their vacation. They had stopped to see the world's largest ball of twine and even pulled off in the middle of the night to set off some fireworks. This was what it was supposed to have been like the whole time.

Carol had gotten sick of eating microwaved burritos from gas stations they had passed and they stopped at a place called The Roadhouse. In fact, she wasn't sure the place was even open for business if it hadn't been for the minivan in the parking lot. Daryl went first, his level of awareness on high alert until they got back home, and when he opened the door to the bar a woman greeted him, letting him know they were open. Only then did he motion for Carol to follow him, choosing a table away from the man sleeping on the pool table and away from the man with the leather jacket sitting at the bar. A short, skinny blonde who Daryl paid no attention to and Carol thought flirted a little too much took their order.

Carol shifted closer to Daryl, motioning to the guy that was laying on the pool table, "You don't think he's dead, do you?"

The blonde came back and set their drinks on the table and snorted, "That's Ash. Just ignore him."

Carol took a few quarters out of her pocket and made her way to the old jute box by the door. Scanning through the songs she was hoping to find one of her favorites but finally decided on REO Speedwagon before returning back to the table. _Can't Fight This Feeling_ filled the bar and she couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Daryl's face for the song she picked. There was a pentagram carved into the corner of the table but she wasn't even going to let her mind wander to all the possibilities, instead choosing to cover it up with her napkin.

"Only about eight hours or so until we get to Georgia, was there anywhere else you wanted to stop before we got home?"

It was her idea to cut the trip short in the first place but the last few days had been normal that now she was wondering if she made a mistake. Once they got back home it would be different and there was a part of her that wished she could slow time down to be able to spend more of it together.

The blonde came back before she could answer and set their food on the table, apologizing for how empty the bar was. "Carnival is in town and every year it makes this place a ghost town. Lucky for you means quicker service and hot food." She winked before heading back to the man in the leather jacket.

Carol wasn't too keen on the waitress' choice of words but since it was in the middle of the day she felt a little better about staying there until they were finished with their food. She picked at one of the fries, dragging it through the mound of honey mustard she had. "I know we were aiming to at least get to the state line before pulling off for the night but if the carnival is in town…"

Daryl kept his gaze on his plate as he shoved half of his burger in his mouth, grease dripping down his chin. He knew damn well what she was so blatantly hinting at but hell if he was going to find himself walking around some clown infested fun house. It was second nature for him to glance at Carol every few minutes and he hadn't realized he even did it until he was purposely trying not to. He heard her calling his name and just grunted in response, not bothering to look up.

"Can we go?"

"It probably has two rusted rides and food that'll make you sick."

Carol's face scrunched in confusion. She loved the county fair back home and she couldn't understand what was so different about a carnival. It might just be the dose of childish antics they needed to distract themselves from everything that had happened. She wasn't one to argue with Daryl but she wasn't going to let this one go. "Daryl…maybe we can…" she trailed off as Daryl stuffed the rest of his burger in his mouth as if he were doing it so he didn't have to answer her. Carol had never seen too many similarities between Merle and Daryl but in this moment there was no denying they were brothers. She took a sip of her own soda feeling as though the bite was so big she had to wash it down. "I think it would be fun. Maybe you could even win me a stuffed bear."

"I'll buy you a bear," he grumbled, grabbing his wallet out of his jeans to pay for the food though Carol had yet to eat anything but a few fries.

How the hell was he supposed to explain to her that he hated clowns without sounding like an idiot? There was no way to tell her that when he was younger and watching _It_ Merle came in late, lipstick smeared across his lips from whoever he had been making out with, scaring the ever living shit out of him. There was a reason he never went with her to the fair back home and it wasn't because he couldn't get off from work or had to help his dad. There was no excuse this time.

"Do you have something against the carnival?"

Nope, he couldn't do it. He was taking his fear to the grave with him, even if it meant he would die at this damn carnival she insisted on going to. "'Course not."


End file.
